Power That Binds Us
by Jonetsu
Summary: After five peaceful years following the end of the Demon Tournament, a new threat arises... one that's bound to shake the foundations of Kurama's life in Human World. [Post episode 112] [Yaoi][HieiKurama][HieiMukuro]
1. Preparations

**Author's Notes**

I've been playing around with this idea for approximately two weeks ever since I started re-watching the series. It_ will _use certain plot mechanics from an already existing storyline (_think Chapter Black_) but it'll add to it in the most logical way possible to keep it realistic. I dislike the Hiei and Mukuro pairing, but the story calls for it due to their involvement in the manga, hence why you see the mention of her wearing his Hiruseki stone. But _I guarantee _that this will be purely _yaoi_ in essence and will eventually play out like so.

Have fun!

* * *

"Power That Binds Us"

Deep in the bowels of Demon World, a predatory gust of wind swept over a formation of trees overlooking a valley, stripping them of its leaves as it zoomed past before coming to a halt at the edge of the cliff. Digging a nimble hand into his tattered clothing, he retrieved a bronze amulet laden with a myriad of colors and a heavy-lidded eye at its center. Infusing the token with his power, which allowed it to hover, he performed various hand movements before activating it with a series of words in Latin. The amulet deconstructed itself before reassembling itself into a mirror, the man narrowed his eyes at his own reflection, which softened once the mirror channeled his master's face.

"Master," he promptly bowed, "I've located the border between the two worlds and I am prepared to go through it."

Sleek black hair obstructed half of his master's face as he angled his chin downwards to leer at his pupil, "You mustn't fail. Find me my psychics."

* * *

"OW, LADY," Yusuke yelped, then proceeded to blow tiny puffs of air onto his injured wrist, "WHAT THE FRIGGIN HELL."

With irremediable anger, Mrs. Hayashi huffed as she yanked the appendage away from the cocoon of Yusuke's other arm, "Mr. Urameshi, this would be much easier if you remained calm and allowed me to do my job."

He doubled down until he was at eye level with her, "HOW CAN I BE FRIGGIN CALM WHEN YOU'RE WAVING THAT DAMN THING AROUND."

Having been concentrating on carefully threading the needle through his sleeve, Mrs. Hayashi leapt backwards with a scream, sending a nearby mannequin tumbling over her tiny body. She wrestled it away before hopping onto her feet with her face warped into a scowl and stomping away mumbling incoherencies.

Adjusting his bow tie, Kuwabara sauntered out of the dressing room sighing under his breath, "Urameshi, you can be such a jerk sometimes."

"Heeey," Yusuke sang out mid-laugh as he twisted and flexed into different poses in front of the full-length mirror, "She did a good job, too. Man, I look good."

Shaking his head disapprovingly, Kuwabara wagered, "Vain, too."

Beaming, Yusuke snaked his arm around his best friend's neck into a head lock. Snickering as he spoke through gritted teeth, "What was that, Kuwabara? I don't think I heard you right."

"URAMESHI, LET ME GO!." The man squirmed, wiggling about as he flailed both of his arms, "I LOOK NICE IN THIS SUIT, DON'T MESS IT UP."

"It seems I've walked in on a bad time."

Originally a mess of limbs as they scuffled and bickered about the floor, the two unsuspecting men paused to peer at the mischievous eyes that stared at them, before scrambling off of each other with equally bashful looks.

"Oh," Kurama chuckled light-heartedly, "Please don't let me interrupt."

"Hey, fox boy," The brunette called out, stifling a laugh as he fidgeted with his collar, "You're late."

Signaling one of the seamstresses as he laid his messenger bag on an empty chair, Kurama offered him a warm smile, "Ah, yes. Bit of a mishap with a student regarding some lab work."

Kuwabara furrowed his brow, "What do you mean? Like a mutated plant or something?"

With mirth in his eyes, Kurama shook his head, "No. Nothing like that. More along the lines of fire." Witnessing the pair's bulging eyes, he continued, "Fortunately, no one was badly hurt. The student received minor burns to his hands, but is otherwise perfectly fine."

Mrs. Hayashi extracted the red head's suit from its protective bag and handed it over to the red head, who idly wondered why the seamstress blatantly ignored Yusuke's attempts to communicate with her as she strolled out of the room.

"Bitch," Yusuke uttered under his breath, flipping off her retreating form as she waded through multiple racks of suits and gowns.

"I take it something happened between the two of you?" Kurama's voice was considerably muffled from within the dressing room.

Kuwabara summarized in a condescending tone, "Yeah, Urameshi here yelled at her for pricking him with a needle 'cause he's a tiny little baby."

"Come here, you stupid son of a bitch!"

Perusing his newly donned suit, Kurama rushed out of the commode to be one of the many bystanders of Yusuke pummeling Kuwabara's face to the floor and stomping the small of his back while relaying an array of curse words. Mrs. Hayashi unleashed a gut-wrenching scream before launching herself at the two, seizing both of their ears and hurling them out the main entrance of the store. Yusuke threw a hand over his head to finger a newly materialized bump and ducked to avoid a zooming bag, then nearly cackled over his victory, before he was hit by the second one and flopped back down next to an unconscious Kuwabara.

Minutes later, Kurama leisurely waltz out of the store holding his own bag and waving Mrs. Hayashi goodbye. He assisted the two up, viridian eyes transfixed on a seething Yusuke as he snatched his bag off the ground and awkwardly walked off with Kuwabara in tow.

Kurama lagged behind with a calmer demeanor, relishing the coolness of the autumn day and its trees, ones that adorned the length of the sidewalk and were in the midst of going through various stages of shedding their leaves to pave way for new growth. He buried chilled hands deeper into the pockets of his coat, eager for warmth as they walked in comfortable silence with crisp orange leaves crunching under their every step.

"So, Kurama," Kuwabara cut through the silence, "You never told us what happened at the university with that kid. How did that fire start?"

"He had been playing with the lab equipment. The burner to be precise. I'm under the impression he did so because he hadn't finished his lab notes, which he had to turn in this very morning. Futile effort, though admirable. I can only give him so many opportunities to raise his grade before I eventually tire of that, too."

"Geez, Kurama," Yusuke replied, "Give the punk a break! You probably use too many big words."

Kurama smirked, "I've given him far too many and they've all proved fruitless."

"Hey, Kurama, have you heard from shorty yet?" Kuwabara grumbled, burrowing into his coat. "I'm sure Urameshi wants him here for this thing."

Originally glinting eyes dulled into a faded green, "No. I've sent word to him through the means of a letter. I wouldn't necessarily get my hopes up, Mukuro has kept him a very busy man as of late."

Yusuke's quizzical gaze fell on him, "Can't you call him up on the phone? I thought demons had phones and all that crap?" He couldn't resist his howl of laughter as the demure redhead cracked up at the statement, "No, seriously. It'd mean a lot to me for him to be here. Have the gang back together for some drinks and bouquets. Hell," he elbowed Kuwabara, who rolled his eyes in response, "Yukina might even catch it."

"And yet you want Hiei to bear witness to that." Kurama countered with a bland smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What does shorty have anything to do with that?" growled a fuming Kuwabara, staring at the two accusingly as they stammered into an abrupt stop, "You know what, I don't even care. I'll rival Hiei for her affections. I'm a better man than he'll ever be. She'll see."

Yusuke threw his head back in a guffaw, before casting an arm over his best friend's shoulder, "That's the spirit!"

Nearing the Yukimura household, Yusuke volunteered a half-hearted wave at Keiko's father on the way up and left the man to his cooking devices, seeing as he had customers. Upon swinging the door open, he was met with a flash of lace and white, followed by a shriek and Keiko's fist colliding with his face. He rolled all the way to the bottom of the stairs, managing to miss both Kuwabara and Kurama on the way down, with a groan, "God frigging damn it, what is it with women today?"

Mr. Yukimura snorted, shoulders vibrating with laughter as he flipped some beef on a steaming pan, then deposited it on a customer's plate, "Keiko's up there trying on her dress since your last proposal was the real deal. I should've probably mentioned it to you on your way up."

"Yeah," Yusuke seemed irritated, plopping down on one of the stools before the bar, "You should've."

The chef flashed a cheeky smile, "The usual?"

"Yes, please." Brown eyes softened, and he slouched further down, eyeing the tuxedo securely enclosed within the bag.

Kuwabara placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Hey, Urameshi. Everything will be great, you know? Don't go and get cold feet now."

"I believe he's anxious, rather than regretful." Kurama speculated softly, eyeing his watch, "I should be leaving. It's my mother's birthday today, and I shouldn't arrive late to that as well."

Yusuke straightened up with a grin, "Oh, nice. Wish her a happy birthday for me!"

Kurama nodded obediently, making a mental note of it. Midway out the door, Yusuke sprang up after him in one fluid movement and called out hesitantly once they were both out of Kuwabara's earshot, "Hey, Kurama."

The red head merely looked over his shoulder, "Yes, Yusuke?"

"I know it's none of my business... trust me, I know. But have you been cool with Hiei being MIA these last couple of years? You two were close."

Viridian eyes widened considerably, obviously caught off guard. His eyes traveled downwards before he mustered a reply shortly after, "You're right, Yusuke." A mere whisper as he continued his stride home, "It's none of your business."

* * *

In Alaric, Hiei strolled along the corridors of Mukuro's castle upon finishing one of many patrols along the border, they managed to capture a dozen unsuspecting humans that had aimlessly wandered through, but they easily fell prey to the Jaganshi's eye and were safely relocated. A task he deemed tedious, but dutiful of. Later that day, he was scheduled to oversee the initiation of several A-class demons alongside Kirin, per Mukuro's request.

Mukuro patiently waited for him at the end of the hall, casually leaning against the wall with an inquisitive blue eye. Vermillion locked on hers with reverence, prior to trailing downwards to admire the Hiruseki stone resting idle over her collarbone, then down the length of her arm to examine the envelope between her delicate fingers.

"Smells like your fox." She pushed herself off the wall and deposited the item on Hiei's awaiting hand, who grew restless at her leisure and scrutinized her as she walked away. Tearing through the offending envelope to retrieve the letter in neat writing, he skimmed it with tangible apathy, then promptly incinerated it prior to dematerializing.

* * *

Next chapter soon!


	2. Wedding

**Author's Notes**

I've been playing around with this idea for approximately two weeks ever since I started re-watching the series. It_ will _use certain plot mechanics from an already existing storyline (_think Chapter Black_) but it'll add to it in the most logical way possible to keep it realistic. I dislike the Hiei and Mukuro pairing, but the story calls for it due to their involvement in the manga, hence why you see the mention of her wearing his Hiruseki stone. But _I guarantee _that this will be purely _yaoi_ in essence and will eventually play out like so.

Have fun!

* * *

The ceremony was held a misty Saturday afternoon under a canopy of clouds within Genkai's land. Botan, eager to fulfill her duties as Keiko's maid of honor, excelled at decorating and livening the compound with the help of Yukina and a sluggish Shizuru, who often disappeared amidst the chaos to smoke a cigarette or two and gripe at her bridesmaid dress. Kuwabara had been massively useless by engaging Yukina in conversation while she balanced on top of a ladder attempting to hang lanterns. Kurama had furnished the flowers, infusing a myriad of seeds with his power to promote growth and had a variety of them adorning the aisle. Whereas Yusuke had been consumed by anxiety and resorted to pacing about the place with Koenma fervently chasing after him.

Yusuke's insecurities had abated once his gaze fell on Keiko, and the procession itself was simplistic in substance and therefore ended very quickly. The audience erupted in cheers at the kiss, with Jin and Chu even slipping away from their chairs to fist bump the groom. The crowd reconvened inside the venue where Keiko's father had doubled as caterer and had supplied the food, but Chu had taken care of the alcohol.

With tinted cheeks, a tipsy Yusuke ducked under Keiko's gown to retrieve the garter as she fumbled about, twiddled her thumbs and shied away from the crowd's eyes. She became increasingly furious as Yusuke struggled to remove it, instead gnawing at her bare thigh while simultaneously hiccuping.

"Oi," Chu called out obnoxiously, heaving for air as he struggled to maintain his composure amidst laughter, "Mus' be nice dow' there! 'ere lemme help!"

"Sit, boy." Touya exasperated, holding the aussie back.

After several minutes, Yusuke emerged victorious with unsteady steps as he spun around and hurled the garter through the air. The garment hit Kuwabara square in the face, and he sprung up momentarily beckoning whoever targeted him to fight prior to acknowledging the item. Clutching Yukina's hands, he delivered, "Yukina, baby, I promise to love and cherish you until the day I die."

She innocently ogled him, mouth ajar to retort before being ushered away by Botan to participate in catching the bouquet and succeeding in doing so, further cementing the idea into Kuwabara's head.

"Easy, baby brother," Shizuru admonished, flipping the cap of her lighter to ignite her cigarette, "Let the poor girl be."

"Shut up, Shizuru!" Kuwabara raised a fist in her direction, irked by her reaction, "Just because your ugly mug can't find a boyfriend doesn't mean Yukina doesn't love me, too!"

Deadpanned, she chuckled, "Way to stay within context, bro."

From afar, Kurama lounged against the robust trunk of a tree and watched the party unfold; the girls nearly toppling on top of each other giggling when the cork of the wine bottle they spent ten minutes trying to pry open went flying across the field, while the boys surrounded Yusuke and Kuwabara, alternating between whistles and hoots as the groom and his best friend fought for dominance in their arm wrestling. He delighted in the environment, raising his glass to his mouth, the whiskey barely dampened his lips as he slowed to an abrupt stop and surveyed his surroundings, catching a whiff of an unmistakable scent.

At the zenith of a tree, Hiei watched Kurama intently. His heart, one that didn't remotely beat in a conventional sense, throbbed once when the red head's slow and deliberate gaze steered his way. In his absence, Kurama had grown significantly older. His skin was pale against the sunset's warmth, his features sharp and defined, but still retained a feminine softness. His hair had lengthened considerably and remained a hue of red that shamed the freshest of blood.

His emerald eyes lacked luster as he extended his hand out, "Join us, Hiei." The fire demon flickered away from his perch and appeared in front of him. "You've arrived just in time. Yukina has caught the bouquet, you may already be well on your way to becoming Kuwabara's brother-in-law."

"Ch." Hiei furrowed his brow and sharply looked away, "Can't say I missed your asinine quips."

Tightening his lips, Kurama guzzled his drink, "And you, abrasive as always."

"Then I'll leave." Hiei threatened, eyes narrowed.

"Hiei, don't," His shoulders sagged as he released a breath he hadn't known he had been holding. Vermillion eyes were fastened to his own, the intense stare unnerved him, "Stay."

"HEY, HIEI." Yusuke's voice breached through their stupor, "Can't believe you made it! Thought for sure you'd stay in the shadows like old times."

The brunette blinked between the two, his mirth waning as neither demon acknowledged him. But Hiei severed the connection, turning to face him with a smirk, "It was a challenge to stay away, considering all the irritating mail I was getting."

"Everyone's here, come say hi."

"I can sense that oaf somewhere in the vicinity. I'd rather keep my food down, detective."

"Yep!," Yusuke doubled over sniggering, "Same old Hiei. Attitude and all."

"You'll have to excuse me...," Kurama interrupted, slipping past Yusuke and into the compound.

Looking sheepish, Yusuke queried, "Did I interrupt or something...?"

Kurama lingered at the entrance of the building, as if expecting the smaller demon to entice him back. Hiei callously averted his eyes, "No."

The party culminated around midnight with an aggravated Genkai ordering everyone still present to help with the clean-up process, much to a grumbling Yusuke's chagrin, before they went their separate ways. Yukina and Genkai had been gracious enough to allow Kurama to remain the night and simply catch the first train out of the province tomorrow morning, and he had been far too courteous to refuse. However, his earlier encounter with Hiei had left him restless, so he slipped out of the grounds discreetly and commenced his descent down the stairs of the estate.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hiei queried, leaping down from a nearby tree.

"Walk with me?" He quietly requested, completely unfazed.

The fire demon hesitated for a moment, seeming contemplative, then offered a curt nod as he fell into step alongside him. Kurama would occasionally glance at him, the impish features that betrayed his maturity and made him look like a child had vanished along with the crease that frequently marred his forehead, he had also grown several inches taller while remaining lithe and compact.

"Is there a point to your obnoxious staring?"

"Time has been most kind to you. The change has done you well."

Hiei snorted, "I can't seem to be able to say the same about you," He reinforced his statement by tossing Kurama a pointed look, "You look like you're ten inches away from death."

A grimness veiled Kurama's face, easily distinguishable through the darkness of the night, "I haven't been trying to conceal it. I was hopeful you'd catch on, for lack of subtlety."

"Such gestures are wasted on me, Kurama," Hiei ceased his stride, "You know that."

"I suppose so," Kurama motioned with his hand, beckoning him to continue the walk, "Will you be staying long?"

"No." He answered sternly as he resumed his step, adamant about not meeting his companion's gaze.

"Yukina has missed you, you know."

Lifting an eyebrow, Hiei spat accusingly, "And why is _that_?"

"Perhaps you should give the girl the credit she deserves, Hiei."

"I've already had that old hag inform me, I don't need _you_ berating me as well."

"Fair enough."

Arriving at the shore near Genkai's compound, Kurama hunched downwards to remove his shoes and place them over a small wooden row boat that had been anchored onto the sand, before threading his feet through the water that washed ashore intermittently, and closing his eyes submissively to the crisp breeze that hit his face. Hiei leaned against the boat, watching him serenely.

Kurama turned to face him, and the light wind 'caused his hair to swirl and curl, framing his face, "I missed you."

Hiei regarded him with a blank expression.

Feeling apprehensive, Kurama wrapped his arms around himself to stop his shirt's billowing due to the wind, and sat down next to the unresponsive fire demon, who scrutinized his every step.

"It's not necessary for you to say anything. I understand," His voice lowered to a barely audible whisper, "I always have."

"Doesn't seem like you have. You're here babbling your mouth off to me."

"In truth, I find comfort in doing so."

"It's a useless habit that you've felt entitled to maintain."

In spite of himself, Kurama let out a mirthless laugh, "You may be right."

"Then stop." Hiei's words lacked the finality he meant to convey.

"I can't."

"Yes..., but _why_?"

"You've never allowed me to."

"All I've ever done was discourage you, as it should be."

"That's where you're wrong." Kurama rose to confront him, reaching out to lovingly caress his face, with the fire demon tensing under his touch and inadvertently recoiling, "You did so out of fear of rejection, not because it's what you desired."

Hiei staggered backwards, venom in his voice, "Stop pretending that after all this time you know me."

"But I do," He slowly lowered his hand back to his side, "And I also know that Mukuro does, too."

"What is your point?"

Calmly slipping his shoes back on, Kurama shook his head, "None. We've ventured off topic. I should get back, it's nearly morning, after all."

"Coward!" The fire demon dematerialized, reappearing before him to obstruct his path.

"On the contrary," Kurama side stepped him, brushing his shoulder against him.

Distraught, Hiei barked after him, "I'm not sure why I even bothered coming back to this revolting place."

"Think, Hiei. You owe it to yourself," Disappearing into the woods, his words were but a susurration, "And to me."


	3. Facade

**Author's Notes**

I've been playing around with this idea for approximately two weeks ever since I started re-watching the series. It_ will _use certain plot mechanics from an already existing storyline (_think Chapter Black_) but it'll add to it in the most logical way possible to keep it realistic. I dislike the Hiei and Mukuro pairing, but the story calls for it due to their involvement in the manga, hence why you see the mention of her wearing his Hiruseki stone. But _I guarantee _that this will be purely _yaoi_ in essence and will eventually play out like so.

Have fun!

**Important: **The sequence in italics is a memory!

* * *

In the dead of the night, a young student dashed across an empty road. She fiddled with the hem of her skirt and tightened her grip on the school bag as she looked over her shoulder, prey to her own paranoia. She reprimanded herself for caving in to her peers and staying at study group so late. Preoccupied, she bumped into a lean man.

"Oh, I'm so very sorry, Sir." Her bangs shrouded her eyes as she bowed her head apologetically. After a moment of silence, she curiously peered at the man's face and inspected his attire while furrowing her brow. "You're dressed weird." Unaware of his gaze closely trailing after her, she continued walking, "Must be some sort of cosplay thing in town."

The male hummed, channeling his energy and pressing both of his palms together, "_Atollo Vigor."_

The girl spun on her heel in horror, she emitted a gasp as she was forcibly lifted above the ground with her limbs individually ensnared. Her bag sprung open upon hitting the ground and a pencil rolled out. He stopped it with his foot, maliciously grinning at her as she strived to free herself from the flickering energy binding her ankles and wrists.

"What do you want from me, you monster?"

He stepped towards her while augmenting his energy past the radius of his body, producing a wind vicious enough to dishevel his ponytail, "My master has great need of your abilities."

"What are you talking about? Let me go! My mom and dad are probably worried, please!"

He closed the distance between them, and she grunted in disgust vying to get away, "Your pupils dilated. You're lying. Also... did you think I wouldn't notice your fragile little fingers trying to grab a strand of my hair so you could expand your territory, psychic?"

Brown eyes widened, before welling up with tears, "How could you possibly know that?"

* * *

Still seething from his argument with Kurama, Hiei ran through the forest with immense speed, merely a blur amidst the foliage as he whizzed and ducked under several stray branches with ease. He chastised himself for humoring him by giving the subject more thought than he should've at Kurama's behest. From the moment he was dropped into the abyss by his mother's people, Hiei had purged his pain by indulging his lust for blood, rather than wallowing on feelings of longing and the resentment he felt for being both abandoned and exiled.

He hid behind rules he had crafted out of hatred to ensure he never established any bonds, so as to never be rejected or alienated again. But Kurama had never abided by those rules and even took it upon himself to expertly pry for details that exposed the facade, whereas his alliance with Mukuro had been forged by common pain, rather than because she coveted his vulnerabilities. He reveled in the simplicity of their dynamic, the climax of their match having been the complete assimilation of their suffering with no romance needed to substantiate it. He allowed her to keep his Hiruseki stone as a bargaining chip for her companionship, which was uncomplicated and sensible. It was easy to coexist under the guise of practical gestures, such as when they'd lay back to back, spines barely grazing, indulging their constant need to be mindful of their surroundings if any threat presented itself.

Kurama, however, had a knack for physical contact. A type of contact that served to convey a sort of intimacy that often breached the very walls that Hiei had methodically erected around himself. Something Hiei attributed to his human condition, a part so innate to human beings. A thing so foreign and incomprehensible that it almost intrigued him despite his determination to distance himself. He had only catered to him once, and the insatiable hunger that it produced, one that Kurama could only sate, frightened him.

Hiei reeled to a stop, steadying himself against the trunk of a tree before closing his eyes and waiting for the train to arrive at the station.

* * *

_"The intimacy that murderer and victim share is unparalleled - witnessing their spirit separate itself from their body." The susurration reverberated in Kurama's head, it numbed his body and congealed the blood within his veins. His lesions pulsated, causing him to recoil into himself from sheer agony. Instinctively, Kurama spun on his heels to inspect his surroundings, half expecting the slender demon to be looming over him. Finding refuge on the bench of the empty locker room, he proceeded to nurse his migraine with two trembling hands, mindful of the fact that he was still very much under Karasu's influence. He struggled to compose himself under the guise of having disposed of him, but quickly resigned upon playing back the encounter in his head. _

_The trepidation in his own screams as he staggered backwards amidst the collision of Karasu's bombs and his body, the dark abyss his sanity spiraled into, the numbness, and the dismayed audience. Kurama was jerked out of his reverie as nimble fingers coiled around his neck, and a set of lips nuzzled into the curvature of his shoulder. Déjà vu. Emerald eyes widened, and he gyrated towards his attacker with a hardened fist, "Get away!" In a single movement, the demon relocated himself elsewhere, a smirk fastened onto his lips and red eyes transfixed intently on Kurama's. _

_"That buffoon rattled you up so much that you didn't even sense my energy."_

_Kurama's gaze drifted downwards, "I admit." He continued with a subsiding whisper, "I am unsettled."_

_Taking a confident step forward, Hiei spoke, "You've made a mockery of yourself, King of Thieves."_

_"Is that contempt I hear in your voice?" Kurama countered, glowering._

_Hiei cackled tauntingly at the query, while under the scrutiny of the fox, who remained vigilant of his slow stride towards him. "Look at you, taking the time to carefully calculate my every step." In the span of a second, he flickered away and rematerialized behind the drained demon, his warm breath titillating the fine hairs along the outer shell of Kurama's ear. "You study your prey, barely altering your usual dynamic before you even so much as learn theirs." Grabbing a fistful of the red head's mane, he skillfully threaded it around and between his curious digits, and yanked back to expose Kurama's neck, "You've grown complacent," Hiei breathed as he grazed the supple flesh with his lips. "And the first fool to dispute it is the one to traumatize you."_

_"I have not," Kurama muttered, containing a gasp through clenched teeth as the fire demon flicked his tongue once to lap the area over his jugular. "Hiei, don't."_

_"I'm tired of your habits," His remaining, but formerly idle, hand navigated down the expanse of the fox's chest, "I'm tired of your naiveté." He buried it within the slit of Kurama's tunic, "I'm tired of you teetering between life or death." Hiei crooned, suppressing a grin upon seeing the red head's face contort with pleasure as the fire demon palmed his growing erection above his pants. _

_"Please stop this." Kurama groaned, his resolve quickly deteriorating due to Hiei's fervent efforts. _

_Inspecting the fox's closed eyes, quivering bottom lip, and the urgency at which his chest rose, Hiei uttered, "You're pathetic." Hand embedded within the red head's pants, he formed invisible patterns onto his thighs, steering away from Kurama's buckling hips to grip at his buttocks. "Prey to your own mind games."_

_Kurama reached up and interlaced his fingers through the fire demon's hair, anchoring his hand to his scalp as he pulled with hunger. "Is there, uhn.. a lesson somewhere in this, ha... monologue, or do you just like to hear yourself speak?"_

_"Watching you wither away excited him," Hiei extracted himself from the fox's grasp, repositioning him upwards and bent over the bench as his hands ventured away from his buttocks, then sensually up the length of his spine. "But he wasn't in love with you."_

_"Perhaps," Kurama breathlessly wagered, "Despite my mental training, I was unable to thwart him."_

_"You're weak, Kurama." He slowly, albeit deliberately, grinded his groin against his companion's backside, releasing a grunt due to the delicious friction it created. Hiei's own collarbone had become flushed from the heat that emanated from their combined cores. "A disappointment." _

_"Don't patronize me, Hiei." The red head coolly stated, leering over his shoulder with a look of defiance. Promptly managing to outmaneuver Hiei; the fox slammed the fire demon against the wall, captivated by his challenging stare. Kurama's demon energy began to simmer, before flickering and eventually tapering off in his weakened state. "I've complied with your every wish," Kurama trailed off softly, running the flat of his thumb across Hiei's bottom lip in quiet contemplation, "But I've failed to find something of value in your coercion." _

_"Shut up," Hiei hissed, mollifying Kurama's lips. A bewildered Kurama quickly regained his composure, and reciprocated with a voracious mouth. _

_Disheveled and out of breath, the red head broke the oral tryst in favor of gulping large amounts of air and resting his clammy forehead against the Jaganshi's. "You were always inclined to do everything backwards." Kurama mentioned with slight mirth, "Just as I'm inclined to put myself in harm's way." _

_"Kurama...," Hiei sought his eyes, "Karasu was a fool eager to see you wither away. I am not." _

_The fox impassionedly held his smaller companion's face between his hands, "Hiei, I..."_

_"Don't." Hiei interjected with a quivering voice, reappearing by the exit. He was visibly shaking, his compact body tense as every muscle constricted, his pupils dilated and erratic as he staggered backwards. _

_A moment later, he was gone. _

The chime of the train arriving at its station distracted Kurama from his reminiscing. He queued up at the scarce line that had assembled to exit the compartments, and barely managed to catch the last bus out of city.

"Excuse me...?" A timid voice squeaked, paired with a finger tapping on his shoulder. "Are you... Shuichi? Shuichi Minamino?"

Kurama inhaled sharply, lifting his head to acknowledge her. Her auburn hair was pulled into a loose bun and her eyes sported a quizzical look. A dull ringing overwhelmed his ears, the scene before him growing increasingly blurry as he gawked at her. The stream of sentences that escaped her mouth came off as indistinct, and the sharpness of her next statement pulled him out of his trance.

"Helloooo!," She waved her hand a mere two inches from his face, "It's Maya. Maya Kitajima."

Coincidentally, the bus stopped. "You must be mistaken," he feigned ignorance, stepping off the bus.

She quickly gathered her things and tossed an apology at the bus driver as she squeezed through the doors and took off after the red head, who had merged in with the crowd. She spotted him and seized his shoulder, "Wait, please. I know you remember me." She flinched and quickly drew her hand away, electricity had surged through her, and something within the recesses of her mind resurfaced. "You carried me home that night..." She fell to her knees, "Please, my entire childhood is a blur. And your face is the only thing I've held on to."

Several bystanders had congregated around them, murmuring among themselves quietly. Kurama gently pulled her up by the elbow, positioning his mouth near her ear, "Please, let's discuss this elsewhere." Maya nodded absentmindedly, weakly clutching her possessions as he led her forward. "We're not too far from my house."

* * *

Thank you so much to the few that took some time to review the story. It inspires me to write more and faster!

Next chapter soon!


	4. Bound

**Author's Notes**

I've been playing around with this idea for approximately two weeks ever since I started re-watching the series. It_ will _use certain plot mechanics from an already existing storyline (_think Chapter Black_) but it'll add to it in the most logical way possible to keep it realistic. I dislike the Hiei and Mukuro pairing, but the story calls for it due to their involvement in the manga, hence why you see the mention of her wearing his Hiruseki stone. But _I guarantee _that this will be purely _yaoi_ in essence and will eventually play out like so.

Have fun!

* * *

Sifting through various letters uninterestedly, Kurama leaned over the table to press the button on his answering machine after an intermittent beep caught his attention. The action triggered a message left by Shiori. Snatching the phone off its cradle and dialing his mother, he turned and leaned against the table, scrutinizing the woman asleep on the couch across the way as the phone rang. Her chest fell and rose at a steady rhythm, lips ajar and a hand resting by her face. Her mind had been overwhelmed in her fragile state, and he had barely caught her when she keeled over unexpectedly. He was speculating on when she'd wake up, when his mother tentatively called out to him over the phone after not receiving an initial answer.

"Oh, forgive me, Mother." Kurama mumbled apologetically, "I seem to have a lot on my mind. No. No. It's nothing dire. Yes, I've been taking my vitamins." Slight pause. "Yes, the wedding was very beautiful. They seemed happy." Another pause. "Lunch tomorrow sounds wonderful, I'll see you soon. Yes, I love you, too. Goodbye, Mother."

He lowered the phone back to its rightful place, sighing inwardly. He detested alluding to half-truths when speaking to his mother, but it was the only way of maintaining a balance between his identities, regardless of how perceptive she could be. In retrospect, it's eerily similar to his approach with Maya nearly ten years ago. Although, he had been unaware of how detrimental it was to her, and was now the source of his guilt. She had always been spiritually aware and even intrigued by the occult, a quirk he found endearing, but couldn't humor out of fear of exposing her to the numerous demons that sought to defeat him. Despite his best efforts, he still managed to dangle her within the enemy's grasp.

He indulged the part of him that ached to share his journey with her for a single moment, before quickly dispelling the thought in lieu of concocting a plan upon seeing her eyelids flutter and stir awake from her slumber. She pushed herself up with trembling hands and a dull pain plaguing her head, her eyes immediately darted around the room, then settled on Kurama.

"You're awake," His shoulders slackened, "I'm relieved."

"What... happened to me?" She remembered snippets of her staggering, then everything fading to black.

"You collapsed on your way here."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"It was no trouble." Kurama reassured her softly, "Is there someone you could call to come pick you up?"

"NO!" She lurched to her feet, nearly colliding with him as she sought to obstruct his view of the device with her own body. He eyed her suspiciously, and Maya felt mortified, "I mean... so soon? I have a lot of questions... and I know only you could answer them. Like... that dream."

He narrowed his eyes even further, "Dream?"

Maya's gaze traveled downwards, admiring her own feet, "I dreamt of this monster... he was ugly and had eight arms, and..." She nibbled at her bottom lip, uncertain of her own words under his ardent stare, "... you saved me, you and that little guy... and you carried me home."

He stiffened, but remained detached. He had never questioned the efficiency of his dream pollen, and wagered that her resolve had rendered it ineffective. His eyes belied what his body language endeavored to conceal from her, and silently, he marveled at her.

"It was real... wasn't it, Suichi?" Maya staggered towards him, and he diverted his eyes from her, "Please, I need to know..."

Kurama seized her wrist in mid air, deterring her from touching his cheek. "I fear you're wrong."

She hung her head, her fringe obscuring the somber look plastered onto her face. Her shoulders quivered with every whimper, and he remorsefully reached out to comfort her, but froze when she lifted her tear stained face and sniffed, "I guess... it was wishful thinking. Maybe I... made it all up because of my feelings for you." Her voice tapered off, "...perhaps that's why you never loved me back, because I was so dumb as a child."

Her eyes widened as a hand snuck behind her head and gathered her into an embrace, burying her face into his broad chest. A whisper made her breath hitch, "Forgive me for being so selfish, Maya." She melted into his arms, loosely gripping the back of his shirt with renewed tears streaming down her cheeks. "But we must part ways."

Hiei extracted himself from the windowsill, averting his eyes from the scene unfolding before him. He had been adamant about ensuring that the redhead arrived home safely and had witnessed Maya, who he identified as the feeble female from their past that had been snatched by Yatsude, intersect Kurama along the way. Vermillion eyes wandered back to the window as Kurama knocked Maya unconscious.

He steadily lowered her limp body to the floor and called out loud enough for the fire demon to hear, "You may come in now, Hiei."

Hiei quietly slipped inside the commode, tossing him a baleful look.

"I've done nothing to warrant such a look." The redhead stated in a clinical tone, then motioned towards Maya's comatose body, "I'd be grateful if you used your Jagan to erase her memories." Hiei began to retort, but Kurama interrupted him before he could finish, "It is the least you could do."

"Hn," Hiei huffed, recalling how confronting the fox in his youth had made Maya susceptible to Yatsude's minions. "Fine." He acquiesced, kneeling by her body and unclothing the Jagan Eye.

Maya began to rouse awake, blinking multiple times to clear her vision as the room spun and a black figure loomed over her. The Jagan Eye began glowing a bright purple, quickly engulfing her with an unfamiliar warmth she tried to rebuff, but was unable to contend with its influence and caved into the darkness at the snap of fingers.

Hiei covered the implant and turned to Kurama. "I erased your encounter and implanted false memories regarding that night with Eight Hands. She'll never pursue you again."

Kurama nodded wordlessly and scooped her up. "I believe it's best if you leave now."

A growl reverberated within the Jaganshi's chest, he pivoted on his heel and escaped through the window.

* * *

"19 year old Mei Sato has been reported missing by her parents after not returning home Saturday night from an off-schedule study group within Shokubutsu-gaku University's campus. She was last seen leaving the building at around 9:15 by her fellow classmates. She was wearing a purple sweater and blue jeans. If anyone happens to know the whereabouts of this person, please contact the local police for immediate action." The anchorwoman narrated, before it panned out to commercials.

"Isn't that Kurama's school?" Kuwabara queried.

Genkai shrugged, sipping her tea."Hell if I know."

Kuwabara turned to greet Yusuke, who wobbled towards him while stifling a yawn, "Urameshi, we just saw some missing person's report on a girl from a local college. Isn't Shobukutsu-gaku University where Kurama teaches?"

"'old on, lemme check," The brunette rubbed his eyes and stooped in front of the TV, compressing his face against the pixilated screen while incredibly hung over. "Yep."

"And just what exactly are you doing, detective?"

Three pairs of eyes transfixed on Hiei cocking an eyebrow at Yusuke, who stumbled towards him and playfully hit his shoulder while guffawing, "Long time no see, buddy. You know I've been retired for some time now, riiiight?"

The fire demon scrunched up his nose, "Your breath reeks of alcohol. Don't you humans have trivial tasks to complete?"

"Naaah," Yusuke drawled, "It's Sunday."

"Yeah, but don't forget we get to go home today," Kuwabara added, "Shizuru's breathing down my neck about me getting a job."

Hiei's eyes scanned the room in search of his twin, then quickly snapped towards Genkai, who addressed him with a poignant look, "Yukina's making tea."

"Hn."

Kuwabara bolted upright, his beady eyes glowering as he threateningly yanked Hiei upwards by his white scarf. Yusuke almost instantaneously sobered up in time to restrain Kuwabara's retracted fist while Genkai remained seated, her face expressionless. " I thought you had that demon Mukuro all the way back in Demon World, Hiei, what do you want with Yukina?"

Hiei's mouth warped into a cheeky smirk, "Unhand me, oaf."

Yukina managed to walk into the room unnoticed, despite fumbling with the door as she attempted to balance the tray one-handedly. The clatter of the cups shattering on the floor made the group glance in the ice maiden's direction, who cupped her mouth with an aghast expression. "Kazuma... what is going on?"

Kuwabara lowered Hiei to the ground with a frown and concealed his face from Yukina. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Yukina." His voice lacked the cheerfulness it usually exhibited as he knelt down to clasp her hands within his own, "It's my fault, just let me do this." She, however, barely acknowledged him and briskly extricated her hands from his hold to pursue Hiei. Kuwabara's frown deepened and solemnly rose, walking over the remains and fragments of the tea as he exited the room. Keiko, Botan and Shizuru, having been startled awake by the racket, nearly collided into him as he walked away.

"Is everything okay, Yusuke? We heard a loud noise!" Keiko carefully treaded around the mess with the aid of Botan.

Shizuru faltered by the door, "And what's eating my baby bro?" Yusuke gestured a thumb in Yukina's direction.

"Mr. Hiei, please wait." Yukina stood opposite to Hiei. "Is everything alright with Kazuma, he's normally so gentle, did something happen?"

His irritation subsided at her words, regarding her now with warm eyes, "He's nothing but a well-meaning fool." Her earnest smile was all that was required in order to quell the darkness that engulfed his soul.

"Oh, yes." She beamed, "Kazuma's wonderful."

They slipped into a comfortable silence, and Yukina watched Hiei as he, in a rare moment of vulnerability, reveled in the shafts of light from the sun hitting his face through half-lidded eyes. A soothing breeze swept over them and unfastened his scarf from his neck, she caught a glimpse of her Hiruseki stone over the hollow of his collarbone and drew her eyes closed as tears welled at the corners. She dabbed at them with the sleeve of her sweater before they were even shed, and then opened them to find vermillion eyes curiously staring back at her own.

He caught the hem of his scarf as it floated away, "I have to go."

"Thank you, Hiei." She said with a broad smile, a single tear coalescing into a Hiruseki stone.

* * *

"So, how was it?"

Hiei callously sauntered past her and slammed the door closed behind him. Lifting her wrists to eye-level, Mukuro pondered on whether or not she'd admit, if prompted, that Hiei released her from the iron shackles of her own past, but bound her to his.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! After this point, everything will begin unfolding much faster for our villain. Next chapter soon!


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